Low Fat Dates Kheer | Dates Payasam | A sweet start to the New Year 2014

2014 has begun and seems like a year of total possibilities to me. No matter what 2014 has instore I just believe that everything will work out good. Worry does not seem to get us anywhere so lets bury the worry and be happy. The Bible says " For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare  and not for evil,  to give you a future and a hope". Jeremiah 29:11, this does make me hope and believe that God is in control. 

One other thing that has been ebbing in my heart is that lets be good to everyone no matter how they choose to treat us. "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up". Galatians 6:9. We live one life and lets choose how we live it. Recently this one phrase has caught with me and it goes like this " I do not want to live my life some way but I choose to live my life in a certain way" its so profound, may be we should think about how we choose to live our life and it has to be with substance not just worrying about what we can eat, drink or wear but what can I do to make life for meaningful. God gives us many chances to each one of us, so may be let 2014 be the year that we choose to live our life in a more meaningful way. Since its a fresh start to the new year I thought of sharing this simple low fat Kheer or Payasam which is simple yet delicious. Here's wishing you a year filled with hope, joy & peace.

DATES PAYASAM | DATES KHEER

Recipe Source - Own
Serves - 4 generously 
Prep & cook time - 20 mins 
Serving suggestion - Cold or warm

Ingredients

Dates (I used soft variety) - 15 nos
Milk - 1 and 1/2 ltr ( I used semi skimmed) 
Brown Sugar - 3 tbsp (Adjust according to sweet tooth)
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Cashew, broken - 2 tbsp

Method

1. Boil & simmer milk for 15 minutes until half the quantity. 
2. De-seed dates and chop roughly, in a pan bring to boil 1/2 cup water, add the dates and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes until soft and mushy. Let it cool down and grind to a smooth paste, set aside
3. Add brown sugar, cardamom powder and dates puree to the thick milk along with the cashew, mix well and let it further simmer for 3-4 minutes, switch off

Serve warm/ cold as per your taste and enjoy

Cooks Wisdom

Tip 1 

I used Crown Dates for this payasam, they are very tender and just by squeezing them you can remove the seeds. You can use any soft variety of seedless or dates with seeds

Tip 2

Colour of the dates and brown sugar gives the colour to this kheer, so if you are using brown variety of tastes/ white sugar the colour can change considerably 

Tip 3

Since the dates are naturally sweet I used only less brown sugar, you can increase of decrease sugar according to your preference.

Tip 4

Never over boil the milk after adding the dates puree, makes sure you simmer to develop flavours.

Tip 5

This dates kheer is mild in sweetness and low in fat